Stef's Italian Restaurant - 3 Berners Street, London W1T 3LD

Article: Stef's Restaurant, Italian Cuisine - review

Nearest tube station: Tottenham Court Road, London

Day: Saturday, 3pm (ish)

Please note: does not serve halal meat - tried a vegeterian dish here.

Aside from the fact that this restaurant sounds more like a cafe that belongs on the set of Eastenders than in the heart of Central London, I had a wonderful time with my mum and sister at this venue. No, this restaurant did not slide fried eggs, toast and beans across the table to me or shout out orders to the kitchen staff as I ate, rather, the food was healthy and scrumptious and the staff were professional.

Stef's is a small and pleasant Italian bistro, just off Tottenham Court Road, London. The décor was nothing too fussy or fancy; splashes of red and dark brown with a soft light setting created a romantic atmosphere. The seating was comfortable and the restaurant’s staff were polite and attentive. Prices are affordable - a pleasant surprise considering this place sits in the heart of the city - with most main dishes under £6.00!

We stumbled in to the empty(ish) venue, just missing the lunch-hour rush, but we were content with that – we love the feeling of having a place to ourselves. A polite waitress showed us to our table, handed our menus and took our drinks order. The three of us didn’t take too long to decide what to have as this restauraunt didn’t serve halal food, so the  vegeterian dish we opted for, the Alla Primavera, was our lunchtime choice. This is a penne pasta with roasted peppers, aubergine and zucchini/courgettes, lathered in a tomato and basil sauce. It sounds really simple and flavourless, doesn’t it? It was anything but. 

Considering the four part solid ingredients, I didn’t expect the generous portion that made its way to me. It was huge! – I felt smug having turned down the starters and saving my pennies – this serving was sure to fill me up. The colours in the dish were fresh, summery and organic – true to the season. I usually feel regretful after ordering a vegeterian dish because I miss the taste of meat, but my relationship with this dish was completely different. I ate it without a complaint and finished the excess sauce on the plate with pieces of bread. It was incredibly yummy. The sauce was amazingly tasty, nothing like the Ragu and Dolmio versions - they don't do justice to authentic Italian food!

I feel urged to elaborate on the flavours. There was a neat balance of rich tomato and basil with the freshness from the vegetables. I confirmed with the waitress that the pasta was homemade and I think it was this very thing that propted me to start making my own pasta at home (which is easier than you think!). The sauce was just so tasty, I could have eaten it with crusty bread all on its own.

My sister opted for dessert, but mum and I felt the heat wave that day, so chose not to eat anymore. She chose the decadent chocolate cake that had its centre filled with melted chocolate goo that I simply couldn't resist; luring me to dig my spoon into it, stealing a few bites when she turned her back. It was delicious and obviously made by a skilled chef. I know this only because I’ve had a go at making a cake like this a few times (a Chocolate Fondant) - they were overcooked and the gooey centre solidified quickly at room temperature; a potential tooth chipping experience. In contrast, Stef's version took us straight to chocolate heaven! It wasn't too rich or sickly, just a perfect finish to the Italian dining experience.

My mum was especially pleased with the food, pestering me to ask the Chef for the recipe, to which we were told it was a "family secret" – a classical Italian cliché, yes, but all the more enlightened us to search the internet for the recipe and have our own hand at Italian cooking at home. I don't think it's quite the same though, when an amateur like me tries to replicate the dish in their own kitchen, so I'm sure to go back to Stef's at some point in the future, hopefully as a treat to myself after a hard day off shopping!

Highly recommended!

My palate’s choice for the day:

Main

Alla Primaverav £5.20

Roasted peppers, aubergine and zucchini in a rich tomato and basil sauce.

Dessert

Chocolate Cake (with chocolated melted centre) £?

Ratings

Ambience = 9/10

Food = 9/10

Service = 9/10

Speed of food = 9/10

Restrooms = did not visit
Alcohol: unfortunately served

Price: 9/10

Room For Improvement

1. The restaurant was great, but I would have wanted to try a meat dish, so if they served halal meat  then I would have definetly ordered that. It would make me go time and time again because the prices and portions compliment each other.